Afterall
by Evil Rociel
Summary: Ginji needs some time alone to be himself.


Disclaimer: No money being made out of this. Characters have been borrowed.  


Afterall By Rociel  
26th January 2004  
  
Some days I just need a bit of quiet to myself. Ban is a good sport and a great friend to be with but it can get tiring around him. I can't always be that happy and bouncy partner he needs. Days like this, I wonder off for a bit on my own. I think he understands too. Ban's more perceptive than he lets on sometimes. He leaves me to my quiet moments, and yet never fails to appear just when I decide I have enough of moping around. Sometimes I almost think he can read my mind. What are those people called? Mind readers? Telepaths. The thought flits through my mind. Yes, telepaths. The guy beside me smirks a little. He's attractive, in a wild sort of way, long orange-red hair framing a pair of intelligent green eyes. He turns to whisper in his partner's ear, yet another good-looking person with honey-blond wavy shoulder length hair who nods in return, then fishes for some change and left it at the bar before pulling his fiery-haired companion away.   
  
I envy them. Just two regular people, enjoying themselves at a pub after a hard day at work. Spending time together, simply hanging out and being themselves. What wouldn't I do to be able to do that, to be myself around people I care about. A quiet Ginji, however, worries them. Hence, tonight instead of hanging around Honky Tonk with the usual gang and begging Paul for free food, I find myself walking into a foreign pub, dressed in long pants, a blue long-sleeved shirt, hair combed back. They will never let me in otherwise. Tonight, I am Raitei again.   
  
"Are you busy tonight?" I ask quietly over the phone when the band pauses for a short break.  
  
"Perhaps," he replies with a drawl as the dying screams of a man echoes in the background. I read out the name of the place from the napkin and hang up. He will come, as he always does. So I wait, slowly circling the rim of the glass with one finger, then taking a small sip putting it down again and repeating the procedure. I have to make it last. Ban will have a fit if I blow too much of our earnings on drinks.   
  
An hour or so later, he slides into the bar stool next to mine, moving silently with fluid grace. Meticulously neat as always, the same dark cloak, the same black hat, the same white gloves, the same dangerous aura. Spotless, not one drop of blood spilled has touched his personage. Yet I know he had just completed a job and probably a rather messy one too from what I heard over the phone during our rather short conversation. He places his hat on the bar and orders himself a drink, smiling disarmingly at the blushing waitress before him. Calm, dignified, polite as always.   
  
We sit together. Never speaking, never looking at each other. Just drinking, as we did many times before. He orders another drink for me when he notices I have nearly emptied my glass. And another. And yet another. Never speaking. Never looking at each other. Just enjoying each other's quiet company, as we did many times before. We have clashes, yes, but those are purely on a professional level, most of the time anyway. Outside of our jobs, he is probably one of the best friend I could have. No one else understands me so completely. Understands that Amano Ginji and Raitei are one and the same, understands that I can't always be that bouncy, naive, ignorant, clumsy person everyone adores. Sometimes, I need to let the Raitei in me out, I need a break from that exuberant self and I need solitude without causing too much concern for others. At times like this, I am thankful for the dark steadying presence of Akabane Kurodo.   
  
Dr. Jackal and 'Raitei' Amano Ginji, the most unlikely drinking buddies on the planet, who would have thought of it? I will dearly love to see the look on Ban's face if he ever finds out. Or any of the others for that matter. A slight smile tugs at my lips. Akabane turns to me, arching a delicate eye-brow questioningly before finally breaking our long silence, "Ginji-kun?" Never one for many words, that one. Saying precisely what he wants to say at precisely the time and tone he means to. Everything about him is calculated and controlled.  
  
I shake my head. "How was your date yesterday?" I ask, just for the sake of something to say. "The schoolgirl you gave your number to."  
  
"Ah..." he answers slowly, "She was... interesting... very much like you at times... Amano Ginji-kun. Bubbly." Bubbly, now that's not a word I thought I'd ever hear coming from him. It feels wrong somehow. Akabane saying 'bubbly'. I have a sudden urge to giggle, perhaps I am drunk.   
  
"Not now," I turn back to my drink.   
  
"Not now," he agrees amicably.   
  
Silence lapses again.   
  
"Akabane-san?" I pause, wondering how to phrase the words when I hardly know what it is I want to ask. He turns, eyes never leaving my countenance while waiting patiently for my question.   
  
"Why do you come?" I finally ask.   
  
"Why do you call?" he counters.   
  
A beat.   
  
"I don't know," I say softly.   
  
"Hmm..." he smiles then, that same smile he'd gift his victims with moments before he sliced them up. The same smile he'd smile at me when asking if we were lost, when he was cutting up apples for me at the hospital. The same smile he'd smiled at the girl when she asked for his mobile number. Is that jealousy? I hope not. The same smile that never reaches his eyes. "I'll see you around..." he says as he takes his hat from the table, "...hopefully in opposition during our next jobs..." he continues as he saunters out of the bar without another word, taking measured steps, never in a rush. That usually means Ban will be here soon. I smile and mentally send my thanks his way, one that I know Akabane will never get in person.   
  
"Feeling better?" Ban's baritone sounds behind me just minutes after Akabane leaves.   
  
"Never better, Ban-chan," I chuckle at him. I mean every word that I say.   
  
"Idiot," he chides gently. "You had everyone worried, just walking out like that, Kazuki made me promise to search for you and Shido threaten to set his dogs on me if I didn't find you by the morrow," he tries to sound annoyed but I can tell he is worried too.   
  
"Sorry, I'm fine now, I just needed some time alone," I smile brightly at the scowling Ban and jump off the barstool, "Let's go let's go!"  
  
The End.  
  



End file.
